


The Man who Yearns for the Sun

by SheiraScar



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, F/M, How Do I Tag, Human Sacrifice, Hurt/Comfort, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Are Hard, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27712571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheiraScar/pseuds/SheiraScar
Summary: This is a story about a dejected girl,rejected, isolated, and left alone as long as she lives,and even then they still demanded,the only thing she has left,her life.A story about a man,who had lost so much,that he had to struggle in the dark,forever,but even then he still couldn't let go,the only light left for him.When these two were met by fate,will their live change?Could they taste happiness in the end?
Relationships: V | Kim Jihyun/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue

_The Sun is the mother of all._

True. Not once had he ever doubt that.

_The Sun is the source of life, for without, the world will cease to exist._

He used to believe that. But now, did it still apply for him?

With each step, those words kept ringing in his head.

And, memories of his olden days, filled with light.

How he used to run around under the sun.

How much effort he spent just to capture the rising of the Sun.

How he loved the warmth of the Sun on his skin.

His steps halted in front of a huge window with wooden blinds.

He took a deep breath, calming his heart.

This was the most awaited moment of a day.

Whether with anticipation, or enthusiasm.

Fingers shaking, he opened the blinds.

Just a little gap, a split second, only to let his eyes saw the ray of light.

The light which quenched his thirst, filled his empty heart, but unbearably hurt him at the same time.

Then he let his hands fall. The blinds shut close.

And just in that one moment, he welcomed light back to his dark life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading until this point!  
> This is originally a work I wrote in Indonesian, and posted in Wattpad under the title "Lelaki yang Merindukan Matahari". As I just made an AO3 account recently, I decided to translate and post it here. If you are quite familiar with Bahasa Indonesia, you can search up this story in Wattpad, for it is already completed there. ;)  
> Anyway, this is gonna be a long journey. 31 chapters, wow. But I truly hope you'll stay until the end.  
> I'll try to post on a regular schedule to give you a better reading experience.  
> Enjoy the story! ^^


	2. "The Noble One"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really put a lot of thoughts in the story setting, but it's in a kind of...medieval era?  
> Hopefully it's clear enough to picture in your mind ^^"

Maya always knew she would be chosen as “the Noble One”.

Maybe since her friends had stopped talking to her. Or since the villagers’ whispers and glares followed her everywhere. Or far before that, since she had lost her parents.

Tonight, almost everyone smiled at her. They dressed her with the best clothes. Festive music filled the air, while the people sang out loud. At one point, their singing didn’t make a song anymore, but just a series of flat cheers and thundering laughter. She had lost count of how many times they invited her to get near the bonfire, or to sing and dance. Look, even the table in front of her was filled with the best foods, so much that there was barely any space left to put a toothpick.

Maya scoffed in her head. What a hypocrite.

To hell with “the Noble One”. Maya knew these “Noble Ones” would disappear after the celebration night and never return. She knew, the villagers always chose the outcasts to become “the Noble One.” Maya knew, “the Noble Ones” were the insignificant ones, that even if they disappeared, they would not be missed.

Maya knew, “the Noble Ones” were actually sacrifices.

Therefore, Maya hadn’t touched any food in front of her. Her stomach churned with queasiness. What a pity, actually. When would she get another chance to eat such a fancy feast? No, more precisely, could she still eat anything after this? Wouldn't this be her last night on earth?

According to the rumors, their village started to send sacrifices to an abandoned house in the woods since about fifty years ago. The house was said to be haunted, since all the residents had been murdered by a group of bandits. Since then, their ghosts haunted the house and killed whoever step through the threshold. The village’s chief then made an order to send a sacrifice there every year so that the ghosts wouldn’t go berserk and destroy their village.

Poor previous “Noble Ones” who hadn’t known the truth. They innocently enjoyed the feast and celebration. Even worse, a _hope_ grew in their heart. A hope that they would no longer be excluded. A hope that they would never be alone again. A hope that finally someone cared for them.

How wrecked had they been when they learned about the truth.

Luckily, Maya wasn’t that naïve. Even though nobody had ever told her blatantly about this, they didn’t hide it either. Maya observed how these outcasts suddenly got pampered and glorified in one night. Once, Maya even followed the villagers parade a tramp into the woods with cheers and laughter. The tramps laughed with them, too drunk to realize where he was taken. Few hours later, the villagers came out of the woods, without the tramp. Their fake smile had gone, but no single face reflected any regret or sorrow. The next day, they did their normal daily activities, as if nothing had happened.

As if the missing of the tramp didn’t mean a thing for them.

Ugh. Maya bit her lips, hard, to repress the nausea. It didn’t help. The tang of blood only made it worse. Oh no.

“Maya, are you alright?”

Maya looked up, found a pair of worried eyes watching her. Her hands half outstretched, as if she was going to rub Maya’s back. Not a single trace of disgust was on her face.

Maya nodded slowly, didn’t want to do anything to trigger her nausea.

“Are you sure?” Apparently she didn’t budge that easily. She sat next to Maya. “You look so pale, dear.”

Maya tried to steady her voice. “I am fine, Mrs. Chief.”

A soft smile bloomed in the woman’s lips. “No need to be that formal. Just call me Rika.”

Maya replied with a stiff smile. It wasn’t like she was trying to be formal, but their age difference was too far. It felt a bit rude to call her by her name. This year, Maya was only twenty-five, while Rika might be in her sixties. Even so, her beauty barely faded. Maya believed, in her youth, Rika must be very beautiful.

To be honest, among these sickening villagers, Rika was the kindest one. She could be said as a perfect woman. Pretty, elegant, and charismatic. Full of compassion, that she helped so many villagers without expecting anything in return. No wonder, they voted Rika as the Chief. Ever since she was chosen as the Chief, Rika was no different than a goddess. The villagers’ respect towards her was similar to worship. Some people even called her _the Savior._

Hence, Maya was also very afraid of this woman.

Though physically, Rika was smaller than Maya. Not to mention she was old. There was no chance for her to win in a physical fight against a youth like Maya. However, she had a much more horrible power. The power—no, the skill—to drive each villager to obey her command.

Maya had heard a rumor that it was Rika who suggested the idea of sending an annual sacrifice to the forest. And the villagers supported it without doubt. Indeed, years ago their village had a series of disasters, right after the group of bandits had slaughtered the owners of the house in the woods. Thus, the rumor aroused, that the vicious ghosts of the owners went rampage and killed the villagers.

Back then, Rika had been the first to offer a sacrifice. Not by giving up her own life, but her lover’s. Like a miracle, the disasters stopped.

The villagers cheered for the miracle, but Rika fell apart. Supposedly, her broken heart had not healed yet even now, that she never fell in love to any other man. People also said that she still visited the sacred forest where her lover had given up his life.

Maya put her attention back to that woman. If she really was still hurt, she hid it very skillfully. Maya could not see anything in her face, except for a pair green eyes with gentle gaze. Maya wasn’t even sure if the gaze was sincere. Weird, Maya always thought she was an expert in judging other people’s personality, but Rika always seemed…blur in her eyes.

“I actually hoped you could enjoy tonight more, Maya,” said Rika, sounded a bit disappointed. “Is the food not to your taste?”

“It’s not that,” she said weakly.

“What is it then? Is it the entertainment? You haven’t danced at all tonight.”

“Well, I…can’t dance.”

“Nonsense. Nobody can dance wrong. You just need to express your feeling in it.”

 _Then how exactly do I express this fed up feeling?_ Maya grumbled mentally.

“No, thanks…maybe next time.”

That words slipped out before Maya thought about it.

There was no ‘next time’ for her.

Rika’s smile twitched. Very vague, Maya could be mistaken. Could it be she noticed a slight change in Maya’s expression? Did she not expect Maya to know what was behind this grand celebration?

“It seems like you prefer to be alone,” Rika finally concluded. She patted her flawless dress and stood up. “Well then, I won’t bother you any longer. This night was meant for you, Maya. I hope you can enjoy it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, Rika is old. Haha.  
> Here is the first appearance of our female lead, a strong and rather bitter girl. What do you think of her?  
> Also, I'd like to apologize in advance if there's any mistakes in grammar or vocabularies, for English is not my mother tongue. It's also my first time translating my own work from Indonesian to English ^^"  
> Do stay tune for the next chapters, hopefully it can be updated as soon as possible~


	3. Mansion in the Woods

Maya started to regret she left her stomach empty tonight.

Ugh, at least she should have drunk the wine they served. Maya really didn’t know how to act now. The villagers were parading her to the woods. They were still laughing and singing out loud. Meanwhile, Maya felt like a cow walking to a slaughterhouse. If she was drunk, at least she could forget about the truth and could blend in with them for the last time.

The tension she felt made her stomach rumble loudly.  _ God, whatever,  _ she said in her head, though she could not help her blood rushing to her face. Some villagers looked at her cynically, but most of them still maintain their fake smile for her.

A soft pat in her shoulder almost made Maya scream. Rika.

“It’s alright,” she said while hiding her smile. “Here, I happened to bring some bread. Eat while we walk. I don’t want you to starve.”

Maya mumbled her thanks, and started to chew the bread gratefully. She regretted not touching the pile of meats in the party even more. 

Casually, Rika put her arm in Maya’s shoulder, making the girl stiffen. She stopped chewing. “At least smile a bit,” Rika whispered. “Tonight you are the hero of our village, do you know that?”

Maya forced a rigid smile. Yes, she knew. She  _ really  _ knew, even long before they chose her. However, it wasn’t like she obeyed willfully. If she refused, or tried to escape, Maya was sure the villagers would catch and kill her right away. And then they’ll find another sacrifice for this year. It was really stupid and useless.

“Ah, we’re here.”

Maya looked up.

An engraved gate stood in front of her. It was black, looked so grand with the moonlight in the background. One of the villagers pushed the gate with a loud creak, making the others hissed and grimaced. With Rika in the lead, they went through the gate.

The yard inside was quite large. It was as if the dense of the woods stopped at the gate, leaving only a few trees inside. The trees inside looked more…arranged, as if they were purposely planted by the former owner here. Dried and rotten leaves scattered like a carpet. There was a water fountain in the middle with a small angel statue. No single drop of water was left.

Maya held her breath when she saw the house.

Instead of a house, maybe it was more suitable to be called a mansion _.  _ It was a three-story building with gigantic double doors right in the middle. Every few meters, tall windows decorated the wall, parallel in each story. No light could be seen. It could be covered by some curtains inside, or it was pitch black inside that mansion. This mansion used to be very majestic. Even now, with how the paints had flaked and the corners were eroded, the mansion stood proudly, like an actress on stage with the moon as the spotlight.

A man besides Maya shivered, while some women behind her murmured.

“This house is so creepy.”

“It’s a good thing we don’t have to stay for long.”

“Right. Let’s finish this quickly before the ghosts come out.”

“Hush, don’t say that. You know she’s still fully awake, right? She can hear us.”

Maya snorted. So what if she could hear them? She had figured out all their plans anyway. Besides, tomorrow she wouldn’t be in this world any longer. Moreover, what did they mean this house is creepy? Old? True. Abandoned? Sure. Creepy? Not at all. For Maya, this house was perfect!

Well, of course it would be better if it had been cleaned up and fixed here and there. But no problem. Maya had dreamt to live in this kind of house since forever.

Maya’s heart pounded. So this was how it feels to be “The Noble One”. Dumped from that oppressing village and gifted a mansion in the woods. Maya couldn’t wait for the villagers to leave so she could explore this mansion. To hell with the ferocious ghosts. Maya would do anything to live here peacefully, even if she had to make peace with the ghosts.

***

Maya groaned while blinking confusedly.

Damn it, even until the end the villagers were still rude. Pain throbbed on the back of her head. It seemed like they hit her there to knock her out. Maya rubbed it and winced. Lucky it didn’t bleed, though Maya was sure it would leave a huge bump for the next few days. God, was that bird chirps? The sun must have risen. How long had she been unconscious?

Oh.

Maya stood up, ignoring her throbbing head. All around her was dark. It took a few moments for her eyes to adapt. She could smell dust, mold, and humidity. Her hands reached out, feeling the texture of woods and…carpet, perhaps. Ah, now she knew why this place was so dark. All the windows were covered by thick curtains that not even a slightest ray of the sun could pierce through.

Maya stood up, feeling up her way to reach a window. She parted the curtain, and coughed hard. The dust must have scattered all around, even though it was still too dark to make sure. Oh, of course. Behind the curtains, some wood planks were nailed to cover the windows. Maya frowned. She felt the wood planks, tried to find any crack, to let the light come into the room.

And she screamed loudly when a cold hand gripped her wrist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took so long to update ;_;  
> Also, have you finished Ray's After Ending? I still can't get the good endings ;_;


	4. The Man in the Mansion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya encountered a strange man in the dark, haunted mansion.

A low voice spoke right by Maya’s ear.

“Who are you?” he said, “What are you doing here?”

Despite his strong grip, his voice had no trace of threat. Instead, there was softness in it, and a pure curiosity. Perhaps Maya had lost her mind but  _ God, that voice is so beautiful.  _ Maya shivered a little.

“M-my name is Maya,” she squeaked. “I-I am ‘the Noble One’ this year.”

“’The Noble One?’” he repeated, confused. Then he muttered, a little sadness tinted his voice, “Ah, so it’s that time already…”

“S-sorry?”

“Nothing. Here, follow me.”

While saying that, the man pulled Maya’s hand. Even though no single ray of sunlight could pass, the further from the window they walked, their surroundings got impossibly darker. Amazing how he could walk steadily, as if he could see clearly in the dark. Luckily, he didn’t let go of Maya’s hand. Despite not being able to see, that man made Maya feel…safe.

Wait.

What kind of spoiled thought was that? She shouldn’t have trusted a stranger this easily. She should have been more alert. As long as she lived, never had Maya been this reckless. Was it because of the bump on her head?

The man halted suddenly. He held Maya’s shoulder, then turned her for about sixty degrees. Maya furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled.

“Now you just need to take five steps, and you’ll find an exit. Then, keep walking to the north. A few miles from here, you’ll find a village. The people there can help you.”

“Whoa, wait a minute.” Maya turned back, hands on her hips. She wasn’t sure she was facing the right direction, though. “You’re going to expel me?”

“Expel?” The man sounded very confused. “I’m setting you free.”

“With all due respect, I refuse, Sir,” Maya grumbled. “You don’t know how glad I am when they finally leave me here. For heaven’s sake, I will not set my foot back on that village again.”

This time, the man seemed to smile. “I’m not asking you to go back there. You came from the South village. I told you to go to another village in the north. It’s not that far. The people there are more…humane than your previous village.”

Maya paused.

It sounded promising. Another village, with people who would accept you for who you are. Friendly men who greet you on the street. Women who let you taste their cooking. Some friends to share.

Ugh, no.

That image was too lovely for her.

After spending a lifetime getting rejected and being an outcast, how could Maya think her fate will be different in another village? If everyone—literally,  _ everyone _ —in her village stayed away from her, didn’t it mean she was the weird one? There was something wrong in her, that makes people hate her. If it was so, won’t it be better if she spends the rest of her life alone? Being alone wasn’t that bad anyway. Since a long time ago, she had embraced solitude and made it her best friend.

“No,” Maya said slowly. “I’d rather stay here.”

“But there’s nothing here,” the man replied, puzzled.

“No problem. I never had anything to begin with.”

“There’s  _ no one  _ here,” he said again, with emphasis.

“That’s even better. I’m not good with people.”

The man fell silent, long enough to make Maya think he had left. But the lovely voice spoke again.

“But you have no future here,” he said, sadly. “Think about it, if you go to the North village, you can have a better life. You’re still young, there’s a long way ahead of you. You may find someone there and start a family with him.”

Family? He meant, marriage? Wow. She had never thought of anything about marriage, not even relationship, with anyone. How would it feel to have a family? To have a place called home?

Ugh, no, no.  _ Don’t put your hopes too high _ ,  _ Maya _ . She wasn’t that naïve anymore. How many times had she let hope grow in her, just to taste a very,  _ very _ suffocating disappointment afterwards?

“No,” Maya answered. “There’s no place left for me. I’m just a useless trash. I don’t even qualify to be a washer woman. Never mind a wife, I don’t even deserve to be a servant. Nobody wants to stay with me, for I am a lowly being. Do you think someone like me still has a future? Wherever it is?”

“…that’s not true,” he said softly.

Maya let out a bitter laugh. “You don’t even know me, Sir.”

“You know what this place is, don’t you? It’s dangerous here. Countless victims lost their lives here. Go, while you still have the chance.”

“No,” Maya firmly replied. “I’ve lost my faith in humanity long ago. Ghost, beast, or whatever is much better than the humans I know.”

The man groaned in frustration. “Why are you so stubborn?”

Maya lifted her chin. “I’ve long learnt to not easily be coaxed. So, excuse me, Sir, you can’t expel me that easily.”

“Fine, fine!” he said. “Please cool your head here. You can use the first floor as you like, but the upstairs is forbidden for you.” 

He added quietly, “If you still wish to live…”


	5. The First Floor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya had been given the first floor by the mysterious man so she started to claim her territory.

After the man gave her permission to stay, Maya quickly settled her territory. She opened all the curtains, and then (with great effort) took off the wood planks that covered the windows. After being able to see clearly, Maya noticed that the first floor was much more spacious than what she had imagined. Moreover, the mansion was indeed very pretty. 

The furniture was of high quality. The carpet and wallpapers were selected carefully that, even having been abandoned for years, there were barely any flaw there. Well, of course Maya had to clean some mold that grew in the corners, but it wasn’t hard. The dust was not that much too, despite she had to cough violently when she cleaned them up. Fortunately, most of the furniture was covered with white cloth, so the dust didn’t stick there.

There was a huge lobby with grand engraved stairs that branched to the east and west wings. She could imagine how the previous owner of this mansion greeted their guests here. And then, there was a living room with a sofa facing the fireplace. It seemed like the fireplace was still working. She just needed to gather some firewood and found a lighter somewhere in this house.

The windows faced a garden with a small pond. Unfortunately after years of abandonment, the garden had blended with the forest around. Across the fireplace, there were three shelves full of books. Maya cheered internally. With these many books, she would never get bored. A grandfather clock stood in the corner. The pendulum had stopped moving. Maya made a mental note to fix that clock later.

Aside from the living room, there were also some bedrooms on the first floor (thank goodness). Each of them was very luxurious, and all were arranged in uniform. One huge bed in the middle, equipped with the poles and curtains. A cupboard on the right corner, side by side with a dresser and a mirror. The fireplace was placed on the wall across the bed. A tall window in the corner. Wooden floor with rugs. Not to leave a bathroom with a bathtub. One of the rooms looked like a ward with eight single-beds lining up on both sides. Maybe it was the servants room.

And then, there was a back door. Maybe she was guided here when the man asked her to leave. Out of curiosity, Maya opened the door and peeked outside. How surprising, the scenery that welcomed her was very different with the one she saw from the front of the house, as if the mansion was right in the border between two worlds. The forest in the front was dark and creepy, but this is the exact opposite. The first thing she saw was a green valley at which the sun poured its light generously. And in the north, in a plain lower than the mansion, there was another village, just like the man had said. It wasn’t that far. Should Maya really go and try her luck there?

No,  _ no. _

How could she not give up yet?

How many times had she let her hopes up and ended up in disappointment?

Maya closed her eyes, trying to drive away those silly thoughts of her dream life and hurriedly went back inside the mansion.

***

Night had fallen by the time Maya finally finished cleaning up the first floor.

Fortunately the well in the backyard still had some water, so she could use some to mop the floor. She took off the cloth that covered the furniture and shook off the dust in the backyard. She’d lost count of how many mice and vermins she had found and shooed away from the house. She really hoped they wouldn’t come back. When the sun started to set, Maya quickly lit up the oil lamps that were placed in the area. She was grateful those lamps still worked perfectly.

On the back of the mansion, there was a huge kitchen. After being cleaned up, she could see how pretty the cutleries were. Gosh, they must have been expensive. Maya started to treat those things more carefully. Her stomach rumbled loudly. Alright, it had been almost twenty-four hours since she last ate that loaf of bread. Moreover, she had worked really hard to make this mansion livable again, no wonder she was very hungry. It was a good thing her body was used to it, but still, she’d better eat immediately before she passes out.

However, there was no food.

Of course. What did she expect from an abandoned house? Going out now seemed unlikely. It was really dark in the forest, only God knew what beasts roaming out there. Well, she did find a lot of rats when she did the cleaning, but she wasn’t  _ that  _ desperate to catch one and eat it. Ugh, even thinking about it made her sick. Sighing, Maya took a lamp and turned around, going to explore the mansion one more time, in case she could find something edible.

Her heart stopped when she found a man stood behind her.

***

“Sorry,” he said, “Did I scare you?”

Only after having recovered from the shock, Maya realized three things. First, the man’s appearance was very unique. Never had she seen anyone with such hair color. Light blue, but under the light of the oil lamp, there was a touch of green there. His eyes were also of the same shade. His skin was so pale, almost translucent. He was young, perhaps just a few years older than Maya.

Second, despite his unfamiliar face, she recognized his voice. He was the guy who almost dragged her out that morning. Maya intended to scold him for being rude, but looking at his soft gaze--it was almost like he was begging--her will vanished instantly.

Third, could it be that he occupied this mansion as well? It was rather strange seeing him still hanging around here. At first, Maya thought he was a hunter who accidentally passed by, or a Northern villager who often patrolled around. But after further thinking, she didn’t hear him going out after their conversation this morning. Didn’t it mean...that he lived here too?

“Yes, I do live here,” answered the young man. He slightly tilted his head. “You don’t know that?”

Maya shook her head, feeling heat crept up to her face. Gosh, was she that hungry that she unconsciously thought out loud? “I thought you were a villager who coincidentally passed by.”

The young man gave a sad smile. “Unfortunately not,” he said, and then more quietly, “Although it would be much better if the Northern villagers were the one who found you.”

“What?”

The young man changed the topic out of nowhere. “Aren’t you hungry? I could hear the sound of your stomach from upstairs. Here, I happen to have some meat.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Maya while accepting the pack of meat. It was quite a lot, although it looked a bit...dry? But it wasn’t rotten yet. “No way you could hear that. My stomach didn’t rumble that loud. Anyway, thank you for the meat--”

When she looked up, the young man had disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far!  
> I hope I can update this story regularly :'


	6. The Secret of a Wound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya woke up at dawn to find the mysterious man heavily wounded.

Maya had never had such a peaceful life.

Her life changed drastically ever since she lived in the forest mansion. With that, she believed that she had made the right choice. After so long, she finally had a roof over her head again. She no longer needed to shiver in cold days. Her skin didn’t have to scald when the sun shone too bright. She didn’t have to run around looking for a shelter whenever the rain poured. 

Having to survive in a forest wasn’t that bad either. At noon, Maya could gather some fruits and edible plants. One day she found a river and managed to catch some fish.

There was nobody else here, which means she didn’t have to put on a fake smile or think about how they’d think about her. Well, the mint-haired guy was still there, but there was no sign of his presence. Since that night, Maya had never met him again. Even so, she sometimes found a pack of meat at the base of the stairs. He still gave her food regularly. In return, Maya also placed some of her catch--fish, fruits, and vegetables--there. However, till the night turned to day, he didn’t touch them.

***

Maya jolted awake when she heard a thud.

Oh dear, what was that? It sounded like something heavy just fell down. Clearly not a rat. Her still hazy brain creaked and spun with great effort. Her wardrobe still stood. Was it the bookshelf in the living room? Wait, the sound came from upstairs. A face flashed in her mind. Could it be...him?

Maya quickly grabbed an oil lamp on her bedside and dashed to the second floor. It was still dawn. The sun had just risen, the mist hung low in the forest, trapping the cold there. Maya was barefooted, her coat was still hanging on her bed pole. Well, it didn’t matter. The man might be injured right now. Only when she set foot on the last stair, she slowed down.

She arrived at the end of a long corridor with doors on each side, and seemed like each door led to a bedroom. It was pitch black there. So many things scattered around--a chair with broken legs, a huge table which turned upside down in the middle of the corridor, also dozens of torn up books. Maya held her breath and started to take extra caution. She really didn’t want to step on a shard of glass or wood with her barefoot.

The more she walked, the more she regretted her decision of coming up here. The wallpaper was torn here and there, and the same goes with the paintings along the corridor. What terrified her was, it looked like somebody purposely ripped them apart. Four long scratches crossed the paintings, as if somebody used their nails to break them. Maya even noticed traces of dried blood on the scratches.

And there was more blood.

On the rug, the wall, some even hadn’t completely dried up. When she saw a hand print of blood, Maya was so close to turn around and run back downstairs, but she froze when she heard somebody moan. That man, undoubtedly. Never had Maya heard any other voice this beautiful, even when he was groaning in pain. Oh fine, she clearly couldn’t leave before making sure that man was alright.

His voice came from a room on her right. Without further thoughts, she barged in there. The room was much more tidy, and empty, than the corridor before. It just had one sofa and a small table. The table was sprawled on the floor and...the mint-haired guy was kneeling beside it. He looked like he was in pain. His back tensed. His breath labored. With shaky hands, he wrapped a cloth--or bandage?--to his head.

“Are you okay?”

Maya’s voice was no louder than a whisper, but the young man jerked.

And she wasn’t ready at all when he turned around to face her.

***

Both of his eyes were covered with bandages. Blood seeped there, right where his eyes were. A drop of blood dripped to his face, like tears. He was so pale, like how Maya remembered him, almost colorless. And now he was clearly in pain--his lips and eyebrows furrowed, his breaths came out in pants.

Therefore, Maya really didn’t expect him to yell at her the next second.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?” he shouted. “DIDN’T I WARN YOU THAT THIS AREA IS FORBIDDEN?”

Oh no.

Maya had totally forgotten about that.

“Sorry,” she said. “I heard a thud from my bedroom, so I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

He was startled for a while.

“I’m fine,” he said. “Now go away before something bad happens.”

That was clearly not true.

“You’re injured,” said Maya while approaching the young man. “At least let me examine it first.”

“No, no need,” he said, walking backwards. Amazing how he knew where Maya was even with his eyes closed. “This is nothing. No need to worry about me.”

“You are severely injured,” Maya insisted. “We need to treat it immediately before it gets infected.”

“No need. Really.” He kept retreating from Maya. “This is norm--”

His leg got caught on the upside-down table, making him lose his balance. Walking backwards with closed eyes was not a good idea after all. Maya reflexively reached out, trying to prevent him from falling down. However, his reflexes were way better. He put momentum on his other leg, easily jumped backwards, and landed behind the table.

Maya gawked. Her arms were still outstretched in the air.

“See?” He immediately used that as an excuse. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“But your eyes…”

“...will heal in no time.”

Maya sighed. “Then at least clean up this place. With so many things scattered around in the dark, even those with good sight will get injured. At least open one of these windows--”

“DON’T!”

The young man dashed with inhumanely speed towards the windows. He glued his back to the tightly covered windows, as if protecting them with his body. Maya shivered when a low growl escaped his mouth.

The growl didn’t sound human at all.

More like...a beast.

No.

_ A monster. _

“Alright…” By instinct, Maya put both of her hands up despite him being unable to see her. Her palms facing forward, to show that she was unarmed. “Alright…” She tried to coax the ‘beast’. “I won’t touch the windows.”

It took a few seconds for the young man to come back to his senses. He relaxed.

“Sorry,” he said, unsure. “I didn’t mean to be that...defensive.”

“No problem,” said Maya, trying to sound casual despite her racing heart. “But consider my offer. I can help you clean all these things up, you know? Consider it as a token of gratitude for letting me stay here.”

_ At least allow me to do something. _

“Please let me be...useful,” she whispered.

The young man fell silent for a moment.

“Fine,” he answered slowly. “Maybe it is better to have this place cleaned up. But, please leave the windows as they are. I don’t have any issue with the darkness. ...I am blind anyway.”

_ But weren’t your eyes fine when we met before? _

The question stayed in her heart, left unsaid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene always reminds me to Beauty and the Beast where Belle found the sacred rose and the Beast yelled at her. But in here, Maya didn't run away (because she's more stubborn).  
> Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!


	7. Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya finally learned the mysterious man's name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no better idea for the chapter title ;_;

“I know you have no issue with darkness, but  _ I  _ can’t work in a pitch black room like this. Do you mind if I light some oil lamps?”

“Go ahead,” said the mint-haired man, “just don’t open the window. I’m a bit...sensitive to sunlight.”

Ah, so that was why. “Now I see why you’re so pale.”

He gave a bitter smile. 

Well, now she felt awkward for running out of topics. Interacting with humans was really troublesome. But no problem, there were works to do. She rolled up her sleeves. First, the two oil lamps in the corners were lit up.

Maya decided to start from the room where she found the mint-haired man, for he seemed to use that room often, also because it seemed more empty than the others. Maya had prepared a bucket of water, a mop, a wipe cloth, and a feather duster she found in the kitchen cabinet. Well, now…

Oh. The mint-haired man was still standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Again, Maya was amazed by how he could face Maya’s direction and tilted his head in curiosity--even though he was blind. Maya observed her surroundings, then dragged the only chair in the room to the side, and started to wipe the wooden frame. And then, she dusted the cushion. Ugh, just like the furniture downstairs, so much dust had gathered there. They filled her throat and lungs, causing her to cough non-stop.

Suddenly somebody patted her back.

“Are you okay?”

Surprised, she choked, naturally making her cough even more violently. She let go of her feather duster and squatted down. The young man knelt beside her, gently stroking her back until her coughs calmed down.

“I-I’m okay now,” Maya finally said. Her eyes watered, her throat scraped. “Ugh, it would be really helpful if I can shake off the dust outside the window.”

His hand paused. Oops.

“Sorry, nevermind. Uhm, I should get a clean cloth to cover my nose.” Maya stood, couldn’t bear the awkwardness any longer, but before reaching the door, she turned and walked back to the man.

“While I’m away, you should sit here.” She took his hand gently--even so, he tensed, didn’t expect her touch. He stood up, letting himself guided to the chair and sat there.

“I’ve cleaned the chair. Please wait here till I return.”

***

When Maya returned, he was still sitting there. He turned his head to the door when he heard her footsteps. A smile grew in his face. Oh, dear. How could a grown-up, dashing man like him look so cute?

“Sorry for making you wait,” she said, her voice a bit muffled by the cloth that covered her mouth. “Now...er, I think you should wait there while I work.”

But he rose from his seat.

“Can I help?”

Maya startled.

“I-I mean,” he added shyly, “It will be faster if we do it together, won’t it?”

“But…”

_ But how can you work with those eyes? _

The man bowed his head a bit to face Maya. With his closed eyes and the darkness around them, Maya couldn’t see his expression clearly, but somehow, she felt as if he was exploring her mind.

“I won’t get in your way,” he said again, his tone coaxing. “Even without being able to see, I’m sure I can help you well.”

Maya's face heated up. The man knew exactly what she was thinking. Did she offend him?

“Sorry--”

“No need to apologize,” he said. “I am indeed blind.”

He smiled, slightly eased up her guilt.

“Fine, if you insist,” she said. “Because you are the true owner of this house, I think you should be the one who sorts those things at the corridor while I’m cleaning up this room. After you’re done, let’s polish the remaining stuff until they shine again.”

The man smiled again. “As you wish, Ma’am.”

“Just call me Maya,” she said, embarrassed with how the young man called him ‘Ma’am’. “And it will be much easier if I know your name as well.”

He fell silent. Long enough that Maya got discouraged. “Nevermind, if you don’t want to--”

“V,” he said. “You can call me V.”

***

Apparently V was amazing.

After Maya made sure she had polished every inch of the room till they shine, she went out to look for V. She almost didn’t recognize the corridor. The broken furniture had gone. So did dozens of books that were scattered there. Lit oil lamps were placed in every corner.

“Maya.”

Again, Maya’s heart almost jumped out of her mouth when V suddenly whispered in her ear. She yelped. She turned to V, finding him looking surprised as well.

“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I surprised you again, didn’t I?”

“Yes. Please don’t do it again,” she said while trying to calm her heart down.

“Fine,” V said, grimacing. “The garbage on this floor and third floor had been sorted, but I can’t throw them away yet.”

“Where do you put them?”

“In an empty room over there.” He pointed a finger on the said room. “After the sun has set, I’ll take them out.”

Maya startled. “So you are very sensitive to the sunlight.”

“Yes. If you want to know, I can’t even set foot downstairs because you’ve opened all the windows.”

Uh-oh.

“Do you prefer I put back the wooden plank on the windows downstairs?”

“No, no need,” V said, amused. “I’ve given the first floor to you. You can use it as you like.”

Maya felt warmth slipped into her heart, just like when V allowed her to stay here, or when he gave her a pack of meat. Finally Maya knew what that was. She was  _ glad,  _ because someone would give a hand to a lowly girl like her,  _ moved,  _ because someone would share something with him, and  _ touched _ , for someone still cared for her.

A memory of Rika giving her a loaf of bread flashed in her mind. Strange, why didn’t she feel the same back then?

Maya changed the topic, didn’t want to look mushy in front of him. “Then, should we rest now and continue tonight?”

“Why?” V asked. Maya started to recognize his habit of tilting his head out of curiosity. “Won’t you be tired if we work all night?”

Maya shrugged. “No problem, I never rest much anyway. Instead, I’m very grateful because I can still work.” She glanced at V. “I think it’ll be more comfortable for you if work at night, so you’ll be free to wander outside, and while you’re taking a rest, I’ll do what I can do first, so that our work tonight will be much easier.”

V smiled.

“You’re a good kid, Maya,” he said while patting her head gently. “But no need to worry about me. I don’t need to rest much either. Even if we start now, it will take a whole day to clean up all these.” He grimaced thinking about that. “Come now, we should clean up this room. Oh my goodness, why does this house have so many rooms?”

V passed by, leaving Maya where she stood. Her fingers touched her cool hair, right where V just touched it.

_ You are a good kid, Maya. _

Those words rang in her ear. Her heart warmth, but something else bothered her.

Why did he act as if he was much older than Maya?

***

“Thank goodness we didn’t rest before,” Maya said while stretching. Her waist was sore after cleaning up a whole day. As V predicted, it was late at night when they finished, even with the incredibly skillful V helping her. Thank goodness Maya didn’t turn down his help. “Tomorrow I can rest all day without thinking about anything else.”

“Don’t forget that this house has three floors,” V said calmly. “We might have taken care of the first and second floor, but there’s still the third floor that needs our attention.”

Maya groaned then laid down on the wooden floor. She had washed the rug there, and it was still hanging wet outside. Hopefully the next day would be sunny enough so that rug would dry. V laughed, then sat by her side.

“Hey,” Maya said, “I’m curious about something, but you don’t have to answer if you think it’s too nosy or personal.”

V tensed a bit, but his voice was as gentle as usual when he answered, “What’s that?”

“How’s your eyes?”

“Much better.”

“What...happened?”

He didn’t answer.

“Okay, forget that,” Maya quickly said. “Are you really...uh…”

“Blind?” V said. A smile played on his lips. “Yes.”

“You can’t see anything? At all?”

He burst to laugh. “My eyes are covered, Maya. Even if I’m not blind, I surely can’t see with my eyes closed.”

“You know what I mean,” she said, rolling her eyes.

“Well, most of the time, I can’t see,” he said, slightly raised his head. His eyes were covered with a bloody bandage, but Maya can sense a bit of sadness in his expression. Honestly she was very curious of what happened--what hurt V’s eyes this badly, and why they looked fine when they met before. But Maya noticed his reluctance when she brought up the topic, so she asked another thing that bothered her.

“Then how can you move so freely? You knew where I am, you always face my direction when we talk. You can even sort those stuff in the corridor so quickly! Ugh, even I who can see pretty well can’t work that fast.”

V turned to her, a smile adorned his face. This time the trace of sadness had gone. Not completely gone, of course, just faded.

“Just like you, I have five senses as well, Maya. Right now I may not be able to see, but I can still hear, feel, smell, and touch. I utilize these four senses as much as I can when my eyes can’t function properly. And, thankfully I am...gifted with sharper senses than most people.”

Maya didn’t miss the bitterness in his last sentence, but she tried to ignore it.

The silence was broken by a rumble from Maya’s stomach. She blushed. Good heavens, why must this happen when it is totally quiet?

“Ah, you must be very hungry now,” V said. He didn’t sound like teasing at all. He stood, then held out a hand to help Maya up. “I think I still have some meat. Go, clean up yourself, I’ll take the meat to the kitchen.”

“You also need to clean up,” she said, then halted. “Do you need help to change your bandage? Your wounds were exposed to so much dust. I think it needs to be cleaned too.”

Honestly, Maya wasn’t sure she was ready to look at the terrifying wounds, but it was rather rude if she didn’t offer help. Besides, somehow a weird instinct grew in her. She didn’t want to see him in trouble, or hurt.

Very weird.

He seemed to be able to guess what Maya was thinking.

“No need,” he said. His smile seemed a bit mysterious this time. “I’ll be alright. You go down first, I’ll see you downstairs.”


	8. A Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the first time in years, Maya had someone she can call a 'friend'.

“Whoa, I can barely recognize this place.”   
Maya almost slipped when she saw V. He seemed to have changed his outfit (although Maya wasn’t sure what he wore before--it was pitch black up there, for God’s sake) into an oversized white shirt and khaki pants. His top buttons were unbuttoned, showing a patch of milky white skin. His mint hair was still dripping. But what made Maya dumbfounded was his eyes.

The bandages had been removed. Instead of looking directly at two gaping holes or bloody wounds, Maya found a pair of mint-colored eyes looking softly at her. Such a beautiful color--no, such beautiful eyes. Maya held her breath. She had forgotten how captivating this young man was. It had been a while since she last saw him. Well, of course they had spent a whole day together but half of his face was still covered in bandages before.

“Awesome,” he said again. His eyes sparkled as he smiled. Gosh, it was so unfair for a man to be this beautiful. “You did this all by yourself?”

“Yes,” she answered. It was much more comfortable if V had his eyes covered. Under his gaze, Maya shrunk. Ugh, actually Maya would shrink under anyone’s gaze. Too many had looked at her with disgust, that she’d unconsciously flinch or avoid looking at other people’s eyes. But now, V’s beautiful eyes stunned her. Despite the trembling in her heart, she just couldn’t look away.

“But this hasn’t finished yet. I still want to clean the mold in the corners, remove the rust and crust from the kitchenware, and also wash another stack of clothes, bed sheets, and blankets here.”

Whoa. Maya didn’t know what pushed her to speak that much.

“Why don’t you finish your work here first, then?” he asked. “You stay here more often.”

“Sure, because the upstairs is forbidden for me, isn’t it?”

Maya just stated the truth, without any intention to be sarcastic or teasing, yet V shifted awkwardly where he stood.  


“Ah, just forget about that. You’ve promised to help me clean up those area, of course you need to have access there.”

Maya tried to hide her smile. “An access as long as we’re working on that?”

“An access as long as you stay here. Please use this mansion as you like.”

The warmth seeped once more into Maya’s heart. “Thank you very much. Really. But I’ll mostly just use the first floor. You’re kind enough to share this place with me, I don’t want to bother you any further.”

V opened his mouth, as if going to argue, but Maya hastily continued, “Of course I won’t forget my duty to clean every inch of this house till it shines. Take it as a repayment for allowing me to stay here.”

V chuckled. “You truly are spirited, kid.”  _ There.  _ He treated Maya like a child again. “But I don't think I deserve to accept all that, because I’m not the real owner of this house either.”

What?

Maya widened her eyes. A series of questions surged in her mind, but her stomach made a sound before her mouth did. Maya bit her lips, embarrassed.

“Oh, I shouldn’t bother you any longer. Here’s the meat I’ve promised.” He took out a pack of meat and gave it to Maya. “Enjoy your meal and have a good rest. See you...tomorrow?”

He turned his sentence into a question. His eyes looked at Maya with a glint of hope, as if he couldn’t wait to see her again.

Maya snorted internally. Seemed like her brain started to malfunction.

“No need to leave hurriedly,” Maya said. “Sit down. I can cook for both of us. You haven’t eaten either, have you?”

This time V clearly looked uncomfortable. “Uh, no need. I’ve had my part before. It's all yours.”

Maya observed the meat. Just like the previous one, it looked dry. “Hey, this is too much. I can’t--”

Like the night on their first meeting, V had disappeared.

***

“You do know that leaving in the middle of conversation is rude, don’t you?”

V tilted his head. His eyes were covered again. It seemed like he didn’t understand what Maya had just said.

“Last night, do you remember?” she said, annoyed. She scrubbed the staircase towards the third floor with excessive power, venting her anger. “I offered you to dine together, but when I raised my head, you were gone. You made me feel stupid, you know?”

“Oh you waited for me?” he asked. His voice sounded embarrassed, but there was no blush on his face. As long as Maya remembered, V had never blushed, while Maya had her face heated up very often in the worst time, very embarrassing. “I thought I had declined your offer. I mean, it’s not like I don’t want to, it’s just...uh, I think it’s better if we don’t eat together.”

Maya stopped scrubbing, then looked at V in disbelief.

“What an arrogant man you are, Sir.”

V chuckled. “Really,  _ Miss, _ ” he returned Maya’s calling, “you wouldn’t want to see me eat.”

“Why?” Maya asked, pouring her focus back on her work. “You’re a messy eater?”

“Uh, not really.”

“You have a weird eating habit?”

“...sort of.” He grinned. “Say, I’m currently on a special diet.”

Maya frowned. “I don’t mind, though,” she said. “Isn’t a meal tasted better if you enjoy it with a friend?”

“Friend…?”

Damn her heated face now. Luckily V wasn’t looking at her. “Well, if you consider me as one.”

“Of course!” V hastily replied. “Of course I consider you as a friend. A very precious one, for I’ve been alone for years.”

“Really? Then we’re the same,” she said. “I’ve also been alone for a long time.”

Again, V tilted his head, wondering. “Didn’t you come from the southern village? Aren’t there a lot of people there?”

“Yes, but nobody cares for me,” she said. “You know, there’s a tradition in the village to choose a ‘Noble One’ every year. They will get the honor to be a hero for the village for preventing all the bad things that might happen in the upcoming year. You know what actually happens, don’t you?”

V clenched his jaw. “They were sent here.”

Maya nodded, then realized that he couldn’t see her. “Right. You must have lived here long enough to have seen some of them. I don’t know what happened, but nobody came back after they got crowned as ‘The Noble One’.

“I’ve been observing for years, so I can conclude that ‘The Noble One’ is actually a sacrifice for the village.”

Silence enveloped them. At the moment, both V and Maya were too deep in their conversation that they stopped brushing.

“So, you were…”

“I was chosen as ‘The Noble One’, of course. I think they had no idea that I knew what the actual meaning of being a ‘Noble One’ is, or that I knew that they would choose me.”

“How did you find out?”

“That they would choose me?” Maya gave a bitter smile. “I observed. Those who got chosen were those who had nobody. They had no contribution to the village so it was convenient to dispose them. What a smart move, isn't it? Without having to make a huge sacrifice, the village could still be protected from dangers. Nobody weep for these people. Truly the best solution for them.

“Our village barely ever welcomes outsiders. Some rare times it happened, it was for lonely wanderers who had worn out in their journey. The villagers would welcome these people. They treated him, fed him, enough for him to survive so that he can be sacrificed. Mad, indeed.

“I also went through the same things. Since my parents were gone, slowly everyone shut me out. Mothers kept their children away when I passed by. Fathers scolded their kids who talked to me. When I realized what was happening, I was terrified.

“I tried to get close to them, be nice to them. I tried to make myself useful. I’d do any work, if they’d just let me live, but nobody accepted me. I begged for their mercy, but they had none for me. Somehow everyone had agreed to make me a ‘Chosen One’.”

Maya took a deep breath. “That’s why I’m always alone. Even though I lived among many people, nobody cared for me. Nobody regarded my existence. And you know, it hurt way more.”

Maya looked at V. Her sorrow was reflected on his expression.

“I’d much,  _ much,  _ prefer to live an isolated life like you, V. That’s why I begged you to let me stay. When you asked me to flee to the northern village, I was afraid the same thing will happen again. I’m afraid they’ll give me cold shoulder. What if it was actually my fault all along? Maybe there’s something wrong with me. Maybe they didn't chose me as ‘The Noble One’ without reason, but because I deserved to be casted away, ignored, and insulted.”

“Maya, Maya, please don’t think that way,” V said while reaching for Maya’s hand, almost making her flinch by his ice cold touch. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re a good girl, Maya. Don’t underestimate yourself because of others.”

His voice trembled a bit. Maya felt her eyes teared up. Nobody had treated her that gently before.

“Thank you,” she said, wholeheartedly. “I’m really grateful to have met you, V.”


	9. The Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After weeks of pretending to not notice his secrets, Maya finally confronted V.

Maya never knew how it felt to be close to someone.

It was delightful, yet peculiar at the same time. Maya didn’t know she could talk a lot. She didn’t know she could freely pour out her mind and feelings. She didn’t know how  _ relieved  _ it felt after doing that. She didn’t expect she could interact with other people without feeling awkward.

No, not other people.

It was V.

Maybe because his eyes were covered most of the time, so she didn’t have to see his sneer or mocking glare. But no, even when his eyes were not covered, there was no such thing.

Maybe because the young man was willing to listen to her babble, even the most trivial ones. Then he casually replied, so they never ran out of topics. While their house was getting cleaner, the atmosphere was also getting livelier with their chatters and laughs. Despite the windows on the second and third floors were still tightly shut, the mansion had become brighter.

Even so, Maya knew the young man was still a mystery. She still had no idea why V covered his eyes with bandages. Not just covering, actually. Maya was sure those eyes were wounded, she often found traces of blood on the bandages. Maya also didn’t know why he always refused to eat together, or why he would rather stay in the darkness.

Somehow, his secrets made her restless. Maya had theories, of course. Her brain automatically connected the strange traits in V and made a conclusion.

However, Maya would be very grateful if her theory was proven wrong.

***

“So, what’s the deal with that house?”

“Hm? You mean our house? Why is it?”

Maya blushed hearing V said ‘our house’, but she shrugged, trying to look indifferent. V didn’t cover his eyes this time. It was late at night. They sat by a lake not far from the  _ mansion,  _ stargazing.

“There’s a lot of rumor about how creepy that house is, you know. Besides, how do you think the tradition in the Southern village started? Why do they send a sacrifice here, not a volcano or a cliff?”

V thought for a moment. “Maybe there’s a monster inside our house, that will devour anyone who steps inside.”

Maya scoffed. “Nonsense. I’ve stayed there for more than a month but I’ve never seen it.”

“What if you’re looking at it right now?”

Maya shivered, either due to the sudden cold gust of wind or something inside V’s gaze and voice when he said that. For a moment, her instinct screamed that she was in danger. It was as if she was staring face to face with a lion.

Then those mint eyes melted. A smile played on his face. “Why are you so scared?”

“Oh, that’s not funny!” She swatted his arm lightly. V cackled.

“Sorry, but I must admit, your reaction was so entertaining.”

“Entertaining your ass!” she grunted. “I was serious. Besides, I recall you said that you’re not the real owner of the house, right? So who was it? Is it true what people said, that they were slaughtered by a bunch of bandits?”

“I think so,” said V. This time he looked serious. “I didn’t see it myself, but when I got into that house, their bodies were still there. It was really tragic.”

Maya gaped. “Then what--”

“I buried the bodies, of course.” V chuckled when he saw Maya paled. “Relax, I buried them somewhere in the forest. It’s quite far from our house. I’ve prayed for them too, you know, in case you’re worried for their ghosts. I truly hope they rest in peace.”

“That’s not what I mean,” she said. “What about the bandits? Maybe they’re still around.”

“Oh, no. They’ve been taken care of.”

Maya widened her eyes. “You took care of them?”

“I didn’t say that,” V said, grinning.

Maya squinted her eyes. “Then how could you be there? How could you find that house and live there until now?”

V took a longer pause. It was obvious he was choosing his words carefully now. “I...was sent there.”

“To?”

“To...investigate the case. The bandits made the villagers worried, you know.”

“Wait. Villagers?” she asked. “You came from a village too?”

“No, I--”

“You were sent by the villagers?”

“Uh…”

“V, please, don’t dodge this question, and don’t lie. Just say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Did you live in a village before?”

V looked uncomfortable. “...yes.”

“Did you live in the Southern village?”

“Maya, enough,” he said, sounding tired. “So what if I came from the Southern village?”

“It can confirm my guesses!” she said. “We’ve lived together for, what, a month? I’ve told you everything about me but I feel like I know nothing about you.”

“Is it necessary?”

“Of course!” she said. “You don’t know how it feels to have your head full of endless questions, your brain considers thousands of possible answers by itself, from the simple ones to the most impossible one. Then thinking about what kind of reaction I should show for each possible answer. It keeps me awake, you know?”

V startled, staring at Maya, who panted after letting out all of her restlessness at once. Then, unexpectedly, V said, “Does my presence...bother you that much? Is it better if I leave?”

This time, it was Maya who got dumbfounded.

“What? Why-- How come you think about that?”

“You clearly stated how I make you uncomfortable.” V averted his eyes from Maya and muttered quickly. “Uh, I really should have disappeared. I had intended to leave not long after letting you stay in that house. But, I really didn’t expect we’ll get close enough that you even consider me...well, a friend.”

“Wait, wait. I never said you bother me! Instead, it’s been a painstakingly long time since I last met someone like you, who made me comfortable enough to talk and would listen to all my rants. What bothers me--no, what makes me so curious--is your  _ secrets. _ ”

Habitually, V tilted his head. “Why do you care about my secrets?”

“Ugh, because I’m a curious brat,” she grumbled. “I spent years of my life alone, so I became a good observer. This time, there’s not many I can watch aside from you, V. And honestly, there’s so many--too many, even--mysteries in you that haven’t been revealed. My brain can’t rest before finding the answers.”

V looked at Maya, his gaze unpredictable. “Maya, you should stop thinking about that.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Then I’ll leave,” he stated. “For your peace of mind.”

Maya gawked. “You...threatened me?”

“Not at all,” V said, smiling. “If this was a threat, wouldn't I drive you out of that house instead of running away?”

“So you really intend to run…”

“Maybe. I don’t know…” V sighed, leaning to a tree. “If you know my secrets, I’m ninety-eight percent sure you’ll run the hell away from me. Before it happens, it’s better if I leave first, isn’t it? Besides, it seems like you need the house more than I do.”

“Ninety-eight percent.... What about the other two percent?”

“You’ll surprise me,” he said. His mint eyes shone softly. “Like you always do.”

“Try me, then. Maybe it’s the two percent possibility that will occur.”

V stared at her for a while, then smiled. “Fine, but not tonight.”


	10. The Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maya finally finds out the truth behind V's secrets.

Who knew Maya would get her answer the next day.

That day, V and Maya found that the mansion wasn’t a three-story building, but four. Well, three and a half, perhaps. It was their schedule to clean the third floor. V was so focused on scrubbing a stain on the wooden floor when he heard a loud bang followed by Maya’s scream from the next room. He immediately left his work and ran to her. Maya wasn’t a coward. V had seen her catch a huge rat with bare hands. If she screamed like that, it must be something serious.

Thank the gods he had impressive speed so he reached Maya in less than three seconds. If possible, his heart would have raced by now.

“Maya, are you alright?” he asked. His voice was calm. His breath was controlled. His anxiety didn’t show. Sometimes he missed those humane traits.

The girl was very pale. She sat on the floor, her back stuck to the wall. Her eyes were wide in fear.

“Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” she said. Her voice trembled a bit. “Just a little bit surprised.”

V knelt beside her. Thank goodness he fasted yesterday, so he didn’t need to do his morning ritual. V let his eyes scanned Maya’s body to make sure she really was fine.

“What happened?”

“I was brushing the floor when the ceiling collapsed. And then, whoa-- Look, V! There's an attic!”

That was true. V had seen the stairs leading to the attic when he got into the room. But it wasn’t important. Maya was his priority.

V didn’t even blink. “Oh no, are you hurt?”

“Nope.” Maya stood up while patting her dress. It was obvious how enthusiastic she was about the previously hidden attic. “Thankfully I wasn’t right below it. What do we have up the--ow!”

She would have stumbled to the floor if V hadn't caught her waist. “Maya, wha--”

He tensed when he sensed a scent he’d been denying for years. He knew he’d better not look, but he couldn’t help it. His eyes moving towards the overwhelming scent. Chunks of wood scattered on the floor from the collapsing ceiling. Unfortunately, Maya stepped on it, so a rather long one stuck on her foot.

More unfortunately, V was there.

But no, it wasn’t that bad yet. There wasn’t a single drop of blood leaked because the wood was still stuck there. Unless…

“Ugh!” Wincing, Maya pulled out the wood from her foot. One of her hands was still holding on to V’s shoulder so he couldn’t run away. V held his breath and gritted his teeth tightly. He couldn’t take his eyes off Maya’s bleeding foot. His clenching teeth started to grow.

Oh no.

***

Maya stared at her bleeding foot. It didn't hurt that much. She was more upset that the floor she’d spent so much time scrubbing now filled with dust, woods, and her own blood.

“Oh, look at this mess. My hard work comes to waste,” she whined. “V, sorry, can you help me go over there?” She pointed at a clean corner. “It’s a bit hard to walk with one leg.”

V shook his head. “Not there,” he said with teeth clenched. “We should go downstairs.”

Before she could protest, V scooped her into his arm. In a blink of an eye, he had put Maya down on a sofa in front of the fireplace. She could see their small garden from the window. Maya gawked.

“This is the first floor? How come--”

“Maya, I’m so sorry, but I have to go,” V said regretfully.

“Wait, wait.” Without thinking, Maya stood up, going to hold him back, but she put her weight on the wrong foot. For the second time that day, Maya lost her balance. 

Once again she found herself in V’s embrace.

“ _ Gosh, Maya, _ ” V growled, literally. The growl was like a beast. Maya shivered. Did she make him angry? “You’re so reckless.”

“S-sorry.” Maya gathered her courage to look into his eyes. “I just want to ask for some bandages, if you...don’t...mind…”

Maya flinched back and slumped on the sofa, hand covering her mouth. Never had she seen his expression like that. His eyebrows scrunched. His eyes glinted with madness, the white sclera turned red, as if he was drunk. The veins on his temple and neck bulged. Yet, what most terrifying was…

“Your teeth…”

V gasped, immediately covered his mouth with his hands. Too late. Maya had seen it. His fangs had grown. The points were really sharp, like needles.

“V, you--”

“Maya, sorry, I really have to go.”

Without giving her any chance to respond, he’d gone.


	11. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding such hideous truth of V's secrets, Maya didn't know how to face him. However, when she was ready, he'd already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the late update ;_;

V didn’t come back.

That day, after Maya cleaned up her wound in the bathroom, she found a roll of bandage on the living room’s table. A note under the roll told nothing but a short message.

_ I’m sorry, Maya. _

That was all. No goodbye, no farewell. On the first days, she was kind of relieved. This was what she needed, some time. She really didn’t know how to face him.

The next few days, she started to worry. There was absolutely no sign of him. She had searched the whole mansion, but she found nothing. Where did he go? Was he wandering outside? But the sun was shining so brightly. Oh no, he didn’t do anything stupid, did he?

Another week passed. Maya tried to accept the fact that V had gone from her life. Maybe it was the best. All this time, she was so oblivious that her life had always been in danger. Now the danger had passed. It was better, wasn’t it?

The next week, Maya realized her effort had failed. Her life  _ did not  _ get any better without V. Instead, she was so lonely. The forest was too quiet. The mansion was too big. Funny, she’d been alone for many years. She thought she was used to it, but no, her days with V made her forget the years of her solitude.

Therefore, one night when she couldn’t take it anymore, she rushed outside. The full moon hung in the sky. However, she couldn’t enjoy that beautiful scenery at the moment. She looked at the moon and roared.

“V! COME BACK HERE YOU JERK!”

A flock of birds flew away, surprised by her scream, but she didn’t care.

“YOU ACTED LIKE A GENTLEMAN BUT IN FACT, YOU ARE A JERK! JUST LOOK, I WON’T FORGIVE YOU! NOT UNTIL I GIVE YOU A LESSON!”

At this point, somehow she was amused. She looked up and howled at the moon, like a werewolf, which according to the myths were V’s mortal enemy. If she really was a werewolf, it was understandable why she was so furious to that man, right?

“YOU HEARD THAT, V? I WILL GIVE YOU A LESSON! I WILL CHASE YOU TO THE END OF THE WORLD AND KICK YOUR ASS!”

“God, Maya.”

Maya jolted when a voice answered her. “You’re calling me out as an insolent man, but you should know, it is very inappropriate for a lady like you to yell ‘ass’ very loudly in the middle of a forest.”

V showed up from the shades, looking amused. He was still in the same thin white shirt he wore before leaving. It was freezing that night, but he didn’t seem bothered. Although he’d been wandering in the forest for days, he still looked flawless--no strand of hair out of order, no single stain on his clothes. 

Maybe Maya had lost her mind, because suddenly she had an urge to cry. So embarrassing. She tried really hard to hold her tears.

“Where have you been?” she said, cursing her trembling voice.

“Technically, I didn’t go anywhere. I’m always around, guarding in case a wild beast barges into the house.”

“What kind of nonsense is that? There has never been any wild animal--” Maya paused. “Oh. So all this time, you…”

V smiled. “Where do you think all those meat came from?”

Maya gaped. “So you killed those animals and ate them?!”

V grimaced. “Not all animals, of course. I would never hurt the rabbits, squirrels, or other small animals. But the wild predators...well, I have no choice, do I? Besides, it’s  _ you  _ who ate all those animals. I only drank their blood.”

Ah, so that was why those meat always looked dry. But there was another thing that bothered her more. “So...you gave me...the meat of…”

“A bear,” he said firmly. “The last one was a bear. And the one before, I think it was a boar. Uh, Maya? Are you alright? You looked pale.”

Maya did feel like her stomach was being stirred. “I ate a bear… I’ve been living in poverty, and when finally I can eat some meat...it’s a bear. Ahaha...haha…”

V looked worried, but he didn’t move a step from where he stood, about thirty feet from Maya. Half of his face was covered by shadows. He imitated Maya’s dry laugh. 

“As always, your reaction is interesting, Maya,” he said carefully. “But, shouldn’t you worry about something else now?”

Following his habit, Maya tilted her head. “What is it?”

“About a much more dangerous threat who’s standing in front of you right now.”

Suddenly a gust of wind blew, rattling the trees around them that somehow the shadow fell on his face again. Maya narrowed her eyes, trying to look at his expression, but she couldn’t. She sighed.

“I’ve never considered you a threat, V.”

“It’s because you don’t know…”

“Not really,” she said. “Even after I knew, my opinion of you doesn’t change. Well, maybe a little, at first.”

“Maya, I am--”

“A vampire. I know.”

He fell silent. “You do know what keeps me alive, don’t you?”

“Blood,” she said calmly.

“ _ Human blood, _ ” he hissed. “I drink human blood, Maya. I am a monster. I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve hurt, or even...killed.”

“No--”

“Listen, Maya.” He shot a bewildered gaze at her. “You have so many questions about me, don’t you? Let me answer it all now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I will chase you to the end of the world and kick your ass" --> Yeah I got this from 'Friends' x"D  
> This is what Ross said to Chandler when he got cold feet when he was about to marry Monica.


End file.
